Can an Ella End Panel or Extension Panel Be Trimmed to Fit?

Yes, both panels can be trimmed on site, and both are designed with that in mind. The extension panel is the trimmable side panel that fills the gap between a shorter tub and a standard 60 inch alcove, and it is trimmed to the wall as the last step of the installation. The end panel can also be trimmed when it is slightly longer than the opening, always on the edge that sits against the wall, as covered step by step in End Panel Too Long for the Opening: Trimming It to Fit. This page puts the two panels side by side so you and your installer know which one to cut, where to cut it, and when cutting is not the right answer at all.

Two Panels, Two Different Jobs

Before anyone picks up a saw, make sure the right panel is on the bench. The two are confused often, and they solve different problems.

• The end panel is the reversible panel that covers an exposed short end of the tub, hiding the shell edge, the plumbing and the frame in a corner installation. Every Ella walk-in tub ships with one. If the tub sits in the right corner of the bathroom, the panel goes on the exposed left end, and the reverse for a left corner. It is a cosmetic cover with no structural role, held by two white screws at the bottom that fasten it to the mounting brackets. It adds no length to the tub.
• The extension panel, also called a filler kit or filler panel, closes the space between a tub shorter than 60 inches and the alcove wall. It is the only panel that adds length. It rests on adjustable stainless steel shelf support brackets that are part of the tub frame, it can sit on the right end or the left end, and it doubles as a sturdy shelf for towels, shampoos and soaps. The full definition is in What Is an Extension Panel (Filler Kit) on a Walk-In Tub?.

The video on this page shows both panels. It explains that every tub comes with one reversible end panel and that any tub less than 60 inches long comes with an extension panel that can go on either side. It also shows that all removable panels, including the front apron, the end panel and the extension panel, must come off before the tub is moved into the house and into the bathroom. It does not demonstrate cutting, so the trimming details below come from the written support articles.

Panel Sizes Before Any Trimming

Extension panel widths follow the length of the tub, so how much material you start with depends on your model. The end panel is molded to cover the full end of the tub with a little overlap, and no width is published for it.

What these differences mean for your bathroom is simple. The extension panel is sized to take a 52 to 55 inch tub out to a standard 60 inch opening, and real alcoves are rarely exactly 60 inches or perfectly square, so the panel arrives with material your installer is expected to cut back to the wall. The end panel works the other way around. It is already the size of the tub end, so any trimming there is small, sometimes only a fraction of an inch. The Zen and Flow include a panel for 60 inch alcoves, and one is available for the Monaco and Lounger. Full-length tubs such as the Ultimate, Standard60, Zen60, Transfer60, Big4One, ShaK and the two-seat models do not use an extension panel, and neither do the Front Entry and Mobile.

How the Extension Panel Is Trimmed

Trimming is part of the normal installation. If the alcove is out of square or an unusual size, the panel can be trimmed so the tub fits seamlessly, which is how a standard tub size goes into an opening slightly larger than the tub without a custom unit. The order of work matters:

1. Your installer sets and levels the tub first and fits the extension panel last.
2. The gap is measured at the top and at the bottom, because alcoves are rarely square.
3. The panel is trimmed to the wall.
4. The shelf brackets are adjusted so the panel sits level with the deck.
5. The kit hardware secures the panel and the seams are sealed with silicone.

Kit contents vary by door family. The Standard, Zen and Flow kit, for example, uses 2 stainless L brackets, 1 plastic bracket, 2 pressure clips and 4 nuts. Trimming changes only the panel. It does not add length to the tub, and the interior dimensions stay the same.

There is one more trimming scenario worth knowing about. Some installers prefer to center a shorter tub in a 60 inch alcove rather than push it to one wall. A second extension panel can be ordered for that purpose, and because the panels can be cut down to size, each end receives a trimmed panel and the tub sits centered. Placement, centering and when the panel can simply be set aside are covered in The Extension Panel: What Ships With Your Tub, Where It Installs, and When to Set It Aside. The pumps, heater and plumbing are reached through the tub's own access panels, never through the extension end, so a trimmed and sealed panel does not block service later.

How the End Panel Is Trimmed

When the tub sits in a corner and the wall is finished with tile or backer board, the opening between the finished wall and the front apron can end up narrower than the end panel by a small amount. That is enough to keep the panel from dropping in. The published steps are:

1. With the tub in its final, leveled position and the front apron installed, measure the opening from the finished wall surface to the edge of the apron where the end panel seats. Measure at the top and at the bottom, since walls are rarely plumb.
2. Measure the end panel along the same edge and note the difference.
3. Mark the cut line on the wall-side edge of the panel using the larger of the two differences, and add nothing extra. You can always take a little more off.
4. Run painter's tape along both faces of the panel over the cut line to protect the finish.
5. Cut with a fine-toothed blade, supporting the panel on a flat surface so it does not flex or vibrate.
6. Smooth the cut edge with a sanding block, test fit the panel, and drive the two bottom screws into the brackets. Trim a little more if it still binds.

On the wall side, the end panel bends over with a short return lip of about an inch, and trimming usually removes some or all of that lip. Installers sometimes worry that this takes away the panel's support. Support confirms it does not matter, because the panel has no structural components and is held by the two screws at the bottom. It will not flap or rattle when the pumps run.

When Trimming Is Not the Answer

A saw fixes a panel that is too long. It does not fix a gap. Keep these situations apart:

• The tub was pulled away from the wall to make room for the end panel. Ella's support team calls this the wrong fix, because it leaves a gap between the wall and the end of the tub. Put the tub back in its final, leveled position against the wall and trim the panel instead.
• The alcove is longer than the tub. No end panel will bridge that open space. It is the job of the extension panel. What If the End Panel Is Too Short and Leaves a Wall Gap? walks through the checks in order.
• A thin seam remains at the wall. With the tub against the wall and the panel screwed to its brackets, a small seam where the panel meets tile or backer board is closed with caulk. It may be wider at the top than at the bottom.
• The tub arrived without an extension panel. Owners can opt out of receiving the panel to reduce plastic waste, so an order placed without one is the usual reason. Where Do I Buy an Extension Panel for My Walk-In Tub? explains how to get one through your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

If a panel is ever cut too far or damaged, remember that panels are cut for a specific tub. Have your model, your serial number from the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door, and your door side ready, along with a photo of that end of the alcove, and reach out at ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Understanding Extension and End Panels with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Extension panels and filler kits: fitting your walk-in tub into a 60 inch alcove
• How to Add a Second End Panel to Your Walk-In Tub Order or Buy One Later

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